Transverse at 34 Weeks - Ideas, Encouragement?

Hi!

When I was about 37 weeks I literally flipped my baby out one day. He was in a good postion and I had a crazy day and he flipped. It was confirmed by ultrasound. I was surprising very calm about it. Once I found out I began really 'talking' to my baby. We also scheduled an external version.

Give it a try. Take a look at some pictures of the position you want baby to be in. Get a good picture in your head and really focus on it. Talk to baby with words, visuallization, and any other method you can think of. Talk about the position, the importance for birth, how you can't wait to hold baby and just want to love the little one so baby needs to work with mommy. I also did a lot of patting my body where I wanted his head to be. Visuallizing him turning and patting and saying work with mommmy. If anybody had seen me, well, I can only assume what they may have thought. Anyway, he flipped again, ON HIS OWN!

I went in for the external version, we did an ultra sound and he was in a perfect postition - which i knew by the way because when a 9 lb baby turns inside of you you know it!!

Just remember how strong you are and how much love you have for baby and what ever comes your way - YOU are a MOMMA and can deal with!!

Love and Luck
L.

My niece had a baby girl June 2nd and she was breech the whole entire pregnancy and the C-Section was scheduled and a final ultersound done. Dr's said that there was a 5% chance she would flip and guess what she flipped and was born naturally weighing in at 6lb 4 oz which I believe is a miracle. Don't be discouraged. Good Luck!

I was in your position (pun intended) seven months ago. 34 weeks is a bit early, usually they're not worried until 36. I tried lying upside down on a board, having my toddler shine a flashlight low on my belly, having daddy talk to the baby down low on my belly, time on all fours, acupuncture with moxa (susan moore in ballard-gracewinds, they do tons of pre and postnatal stuff), and chiropractic (webster technique).

call Pacific Chiropractic in Lynnwood first ###-###-#### to see if they do this technique or if you don't mind driving to seattle belltown chiropractic ###-###-####, both of these docs are friends of mine and I know that Dr. Scott in belltown has had success in turning babies (feel free to tell them T. A. sent you). Or look up webster technique and there's a listing of dcs who perform it.

I cried for days after scheduling the version and canceled it after hearing about two babies who died following the procedure. After canceling it I stopped crying and realized it was the right decision for me. I would have rather had a scheduled c-section as opposed to an emergency one, which can be the result of an external version.

Babies can still turn on their own until the day they are delivered, I personally felt if it was god's will she would turn on her own without medical intervention. I have heard that versions are extremely uncomfortable and I was too scared to do it.

I had a c-section at 39 weeks and it turned out my daughter wouldn't have turned because of her size and the location of my placenta, so I was glad I didn't try the version! And after my first vaginal birth, I have to tell you I preferred the c-section :)

I asked other mamas this question back in november here's the link: http://www.mamasource.com/request/5647832860132900865

You know what's best for you, listen to that mother's instinct!

Well I just went through this with my little one. She was transverse for a while. She seemed to never like it in the normal position. Of course it was uncomfortable till the end because of where she was but I would not have done things any other way. We had a c-section scheduled. As it got close to the time I was having contractions but wasn't ready so they said. Well when they took her out she was backwards, transverse, and had her foot in the birth canal, and she had a knot in her cord. So there was no way I would dialate and if I had labored I could have lost her and would have had an emergency c-section.

I had to have an emergency c-section with my first and well let me tell you that you dont want that. You want a happy healthy baby and well you have to ask yourself is it worth the risks just to try and do things natural. Sure some babies might turn at the last minute but that isnt a guarntee. The external stuff well you think you are uncomfortable now I would rather be in labor and ready to have the baby than to do the external turning. And well if it is the cord that could be an issue well do you want to risk loosing the baby now and still having to go through labor.

A c-section isnt bad. You are very well taken care of and well as my mom said to me...they will come out with a perfectly shaped head. Don't worry you and your doctors want a healthy baby and so just dont please get caught up in how your little one will get here as long as you get to hold them in your arms. Good Luck!

Hi H.:

I found out my son was in a "frank breech" position at 36 weeks. I did try an external turning - it was very painful and I'm pretty sure it bruised a rib in the process. The success rate is only about 50%, according to my OB/GYN.

The only other method I tried was to lift the foot of my bed up about 6 inches with a cinder block in the hopes that gravity would work. It didn't and let me tell you, that's probably the MOST uncomfortable way to sleep, especially when you're pregnant. I have heard that acupuncture can work, but didn't try it.

So, that being said, I ended up having a scheduled c-section, and I'm glad that I did. With your baby being sideways, I wouldn't want to risk going into labor and then having to have an emergency surgery.

Good luck with your decision and your birth!

Hey Lady,

The best of luck to you and I am sure if you hold a positive intention and vision for this birth you and your baby will come out quite naturally. I just wanted to give the name and info for an acupuncturist in Kirkland, that I know. Tell you Rebecca for Contact Talk Radio sent you and you may receive a discount.

Cynthia T. Campbell, MA, LAc.
11830 NE 128th St #203
Kirkland, WA 98034
Phone: ###-###-####
Email: ____@____.com

Good luck and I will hold you and your baby in my thoughts,

Rebecca

I also was in this same spot, he waited until 38 weeks to finally turn and when he did I thought I was in labor. My doctor had the C-Section scheduled but ended up canceling it and I had him vaginal the day before his actual due date. I walked a lot and I did go for massage with a wonderful woman in Shoreline, Myotherapy Northwest, Lucy Baker. I suffered from horrible migraines and she worked miracles but she would also work my mid back. Maybe that helped him turn.

Hi H.,
I'm at 37 weeks and am in a similar situation right now. At 36 weeks I learned my baby is breech. I went to see an acupuncturist and she gave me moxa sticks to use 20 minutes a day for 10 days (warming the bottom outside corner of my pinky toenail), I'm seeing a Chiropractor who is doing the Webster method on me (not painful & there is (shouldn't be) any adjustment, he's just trying to relax a ligament in my belly), I'm doing pelvic tilts where my butt & hips are raised up (laying on a board raised about 12 inches in the air for 10-15 minutes 2-3 times a day), and I had a version performed. Yes, it's been a busy week. :-). The version wasn't as uncomfortable as I thought it would be. My Dr. tried to turn the baby twice but he wouldn't budge. It was all very controlled with 2 Dr.s in the room and a nurse. They monitored the baby's heartbeat and he was fine. My Dr. has never had an emergency c-section as a result of a version, but there is a very, very small chance of that happening, something like 1%. My husband and I had packed our bags for the hospital, just in case. I'm coming to the conclusion that my baby will turn if/when he wants to, and if he doesn't turn, I'll have a healthy and happy baby boy by c-section. Either way, I'm learning a lot about alternative medicine, which has been pretty darn interesting. Best of luck.

H.,

TJ has given you some great advice. I had a close friend who is from the Philipines and her youngest was breech. She's a huge proponent of all-natural birth and used moxa sticks (heat treatment applied to the outside of your pinky toes...odd I know, but she and her entire family swear it works, as does a friend of mine who is a TCM practitioner) and some exercises to help turn him.

There are some exercises and moxa stick instructions on this website. Of course, always consult with your practitioner. http://www.birthinternational.com/articles/andrea13.html

Best wishes to you! Enjoy these final weeks of two kids!

Hi,
my baby was frank breech from about 5 mos on, i could feel his head pressing under my ribs (comfy! for both of us, i'm sure) this was confirmed at 34 weeks by ultrasound. i also got completely unexpectedly put on bedrest for being prematurely dialated at that point.
anyway, i planned to try and have the Dr. turn him after i got off bedrest b/c i really didnt want a c-section. my water broke 2 days before i got off bedrest and i had an unscheduled C section (which went fine).
BUT, the big surprise was the cord was around his neck- twice! so there is a reason he didn't turn and we could have ended up in an emergency c-section if she had tried to turn him and pulled the cord around his neck. anyway, i didn't even realize that was a possibility (altho. she may have discussed this if i had actually scheduled the procedure) and they couldn't see it on the ultrasound. i don't think it is common, but it is something to be aware of.
Good luck with your decision and with whatever things you try, and i hope you have a healthy baby no matter how he or she is born.
M.